The University of Calabar (UNICAL) has taken proactive steps to address the allegations of sexual harassment leveled against Professor Cyril Ndifon, the Dean of the Faculty of Law.
The institution has launched a comprehensive inquiry into the matter following protests by students on Monday, August 14, where they accused Prof. Ndifon of sexual assault and harassment, as reported by The Punch.
In response to the allegations, students of the faculty gathered and conducted demonstrations, displaying placards with various inscriptions such as “We are tired of buying law journals”, “Law girls are not your bonanza; Prof. Ndifon should stop grabbing us and others,” and “Ndifon must go for our sanity.” Their grievances also encompassed issues related to lecturers not attending classes.
Prof. Florence Obi, the Vice-Chancellor of UNICAL, received the protesting students and their placards. The university administration swiftly initiated an investigation into the matter to ensure a fair and thorough assessment of the allegations.
Prof. Ndifon, who has been accused, has vehemently denied the charges. He expressed disbelief over the allegations, particularly in relation to his interactions with specific year groups, as he asserted that he doesn't teach the concerned students. He further indicated that he believes the allegations are baseless and fueled by ulterior motives.
CrossRiverWatch, an online publication, had previously reported Prof. Ndifon's response, in which he stated, "For Christ’s sake, I don’t teach Year 2 B or Year one students, so I don’t know why they have chosen to drag my name into the mud. This was why I said earlier that the allegations were lies, cooked from the pit of hell, just to destroy a reputation that I had spent decades building."
